1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to handling containerized cargo, and more specifically, to a truck chassis device used for containing, coupling and transporting metal shipping containers.
2. Description of Related Art
Prior xe2x80x9ccontainer chassisxe2x80x9d used in the process of transporting large containers in the shipping industry have been, in the recent past, confined essentially to four categories: first, xe2x80x98boaster chassis;xe2x80x99 second, xe2x80x98flat bed chassis;xe2x80x99 third, xe2x80x98bombcart chassis;xe2x80x99 and finally, xe2x80x98pin chassis.xe2x80x99 For various reasons, only pin chassis are used for transporting most containers being shipped over the road.
Pin chassis are street legal and ISO (International Organization for Standardization) standardized. Standard freight containers generally conform to specific construction details as adopted by the ISO. Standard chassis come in several lengths including 20 feet, 35 feet, 40 feet, 45 feet, and some that are 53 feet.
However, loading and unloading cargo from pin chassis for above deck storage on a ship can be very time consuming, because the containers coming off the deck of a ship have stacking cones in them. A six man crew is required to load or off-load containers onto or off of a pin chassis. The crew pulls a pin chassis to a position underneath the crane being used to remove containers from the ship and set them on the pin chassis. The gangmen on the dock must then pull the cones out of the container, and then use the crane to land the container on the chassis. Then extra men pull the pin, and turn the handle on the back of the pin chassis turning the cone integral to the pin chassis to lock the container to the chassis. After the container is set on the chassis, it is taken to an area where it is parked in a row for later pick up and transport. An empty chassis to be loaded is returned from the row. As cones are removed from containers coming off of the ship""s deck, they are placed in a cone bin box.
Once the ship has been completely unloaded and is ready to receive containers, the cone removal process is reversed. Cones are taken from the bin box and placed into the bottom of each container being placed on the deck, after each has been hoisted up from the chassis. After the ship is reloaded, the bin box, with any remaining cones, is hoisted back onto the ship.
Removal of the cones from the container for unloading from the deck and replacement of the cones into the container for loading the ship""s deck, summarizes the problem in using the pin chassis. Thus, a new category of chassis has been needed to eliminate the double and triple handling of container freight and the locking cones used in linking the freight containers.
The prior art discussed below does not address this issue.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,688 issued to Garcia, R. R. on Mar. 3, 1998 describes a unibeam trailer chassis. Garcia does not disclose cone receiving end portions, nor does it disclose methods of using the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,255 issued to Bertolini, W. A. on Oct. 23, 1973 describes a chassis with a locking device at each of four corners. The Bertolini device is not capable of independently receiving locking cones since the Bertolini locking mechanism is already part of the chassis. Moreover, Bertolini does not disclose any methods of using the device.
British Patent No. 1,151,381 published on May 7, 1969, and invented by Ellis, M. describes a vehicle frame for the transport of freight containers. Ellis does not teach the present invention as claimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,829 issued to Hastings, T. M. on Jul. 20, 1999 describes a goosenecked chassis. Hastings does not teach the
U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,514 issued to Jacques, C. H. on Apr. 16, 1996 describes a dockable container chassis. Jacques does not teach the present invention as claimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,438,671 issued to Seng, P. J. on Apr. 15, 1969 describes a cargo adaptor frame with corner twist locks. Seng does not teach the present invention as claimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,781 issued to Roarty et al. on Jul. 7, 1992 describes a chassis conversion saddle. Roarty et al. do not teach the present invention as claimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,540 issued to Boughton, T. T. on Aug. 27, 1985 describes transport frames for vehicles. Boughton does not teach the present invention as claimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,960 issued to Sill et al. on Aug. 18, 1998 describes a chassis with convertible gooseneck. Sill et al. do not teach the present invention as claimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,614,153 issued to Tantlinger et al. on Oct. 19, 1971 describes a trailer chassis. Tantlinger et al. do not teach the present invention as claimed.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The present invention is a xe2x80x9clocking cone chassisxe2x80x9d including methods for its use. The invention eliminates double and triple handling of shipping freight containers. The chassis device essentially comprises two parallel I-beam main rails, a plurality of transverse ribs, a forward cone receiver formed from steel square tubing affixed to a forward end of the main rails, and a similar rear cone receiver affixed to the rear end of the main rails, the only essential difference between the two receivers being that the forward cone receiver has an upper flange to guide and to stop a freight container. Each receiver has two box-shaped end portions, each of which operates like the pocket of a freight containerxe2x80x94that is, it receives a locking cone through a cone receiving aperture on its upper surface. Each end portion also has access apertures for manually unlocking a locking cone.
Four methods of using the locking cone chassis are disclosed, including two methods for using the locking cone chassis to discharge a freight container from a ship to a dock, and two methods for using locking cone chassis in the load-back of freight containers from a dock to a ship. The present invention also calls for two separate chassis staging areas to account for how freight containers are typically stored above deck and below deck, that is, with and without locking cones, respectively.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to make the unloading and loading of shipping freight faster and more efficient.
It is another object of the invention to make the unloading and loading of shipping freight safer.
It is a further object of the invention to make the unloading and loading of shipping freight less expensive.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a new type and category of container chassis.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.